Pinnacle Airlines Corp. CEO Phil Trenary to step down

16 March 2011

Philip Trenary, President and CEO of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. has decided to resign his position effective March 24 to pursue other interests outside the company. Pinnacle Board of Directors Chairman Donald J. Breeding will assume the role of Interim CEO until a search can commence and a permanent replacement is found.

With the full support of the Board, Phil plans to stay on as a consultant to Pinnacle Airlines Corp. for one year after his resignation and assist in the seamless transition to a new CEO.

“Phil has presided over a period of significant growth for Pinnacle and built a strong foundation anchored by a spirited group of dedicated employees. He has positioned the airline to realize great success. We wish Phil the very best as he moves forward to other challenging ventures,” Breeding said.

“I’ll always cherish my time and friendships at Pinnacle. It has been without a doubt the most meaningful chapter in my career,” said Trenary. “Pinnacle Airlines Corp. is positioned well to own our future.”

Under Trenary’s leadership, Pinnacle has grown from a $78 million turboprop-only airline with a fleet of 36 aircraft, to a regional powerhouse with revenues over $1 billion and a fleet of nearly 300 aircraft. Trenary oversaw the acquisition and integration of Colgan Air in 2007 and Mesaba Airlines in 2010, helping to grow Pinnacle Airlines Corp. into one of the largest and most versatile regional airlines in the world.

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Trenary assembled a skilled management team focused on cutting-edge safety leadership, creating opportunity for employees, effectively serving the world’s largest major air carriers, and earning profitable returns for shareholders. Most recently, Trenary and his management team secured long-term agreements with labor to effectively and reliably serve its major carrier partners for the long term.

No substantive changes to current operations are planned under Interim CEO Breeding. Plans enacted under Trenary’s leadership, including the company’s planned headquarters relocation to downtown Memphis, are proceeding on schedule.